Canon FX

[bmattock]

The Canon FX was a 35mm SLR with an external meter, made in 1964. Mine was purchased from a pawn shop in the mid to late 1970s by my father so I could take a photography course in high school. Originally all I had was a 50mm f/1.8 lens for it, but I've since expanded that to include the ultra-fast f/1.2 55mm and 58mm, the 85mm f/1.8, the 135mm f/2.5, and so on. However, I shot this roll with the Canon FL 50mm f/1.4 Model II, a nice contrasty lens that is plenty sharp enough for me. The camera once had a capping problem with the shutter, but that's been fixed by an overhaul a few years back. I tend to ignore the meter and use an external Sekonic L-358 instead.


2016-02-20 13.02.22 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Konica-2016-02-20-0029_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr

I shot these photos at Metamora-Hadley State Park in Michigan. I was carrying a Konica I fixed-lens rangefinder and this Canon FX. I used them to take pictures of each other; that's one good way to avoid mixing up the film later!

Speaking of film, I used expired Shantou ERA 100 B&W film rated at EI 200, developed in Diafine as usual.


Canon-2016-02-20-0007_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr

Canon-2016-02-20-0008_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr

It was a fairly bright day out, so most shots (except for the show-off-y bokeh-licious shots above) were taken between 1/125 and 1/500 and between f/8 and f/16.


Canon-2016-02-20-0010_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0014_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0016_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0024_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0025_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0026_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0028_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr


Canon-2016-02-20-0031_v1 by Wigwam Jones, on Flickr

Hope you enjoyed my little exposition!

 

[splitimageview]

I have an FX. Meter works, the only problem is the mirror doesn't always return properly and slow speeds are off. It's a well-built camera with a big, bright viewfinder a very good focusing screen. Always was fond of the breech lock.

 

[farlymac]

I never got an FX, but the lenses I did get for the FT are really nice, as you found out, Bill. Great looking photos, with plenty of sharpness.

PF

 

[SteveM]

Those photos show how great the early FL lenses are. My first SLR was a Canon TL, introduced a few years after the FX. It had a 50mm f1.8 FL lens, and I remember the incredibly sharp images it gave. The later F series cameras had the partial spot meter area, which I still prefer to the center-weight average pattern of the Nikons that I currently use. Still think about an F1 occasionally….

Steve

 

[Nokton48]

I bought FL lenses just to use them on my Canon rangefinders, when I had them. Those old FL lenses are really great and Man are they well made!

 

[Mackinaw]

I still have an old Canon FP which I bought many years back. Basically, a Canon FX without a meter. Love the camera’s simplicity. It also has one of the silkiest film advance motions of any camera I have. Like a hot knife through butter. Needs a CLA though, the shutter is capping.

Jim B.

 

[bmattock]

I still have an old Canon FP which I bought many years back. Basically, a Canon FX without a meter. Love the camera’s simplicity. It also has one of the silkiest film advance motions of any camera I have. Like a hot knife through butter. Needs a CLA though, the shutter is capping.

Jim B.

It seems like they all do that eventually. Also, the prism often desilvers. I don't like buying them on eBay because often sellers do not know what 'desilvering' of the prism looks like; they think it's just dirt in the viewfinder; but it cannot be cleaned off. If a prism has desilvering, it's done for.